That's right—there is not a person in this world who doesn't experience some problems, and our most consistent problems occur in our relationships with other people.
I know some of you may be thinking, "Marilyn, I've never had problems with anyone." Perhaps so, but can you honestly say that no one has ever had problems with you?
Moses Sought God's Wisdom
Moses was the leader of more than one million people—he had to solve life's problems for himself as well as for the entire congregation of Israel.
You would think that the Israelites would have been so happy to be free from slavery that they would have been eager to follow Moses. However, the Israelites were just the opposite; they were resentful, distrustful complainers.
Moses had just finished pleading for God's mercy on Israel (Num. 14) when he was confronted with another people-problem. Moses may have said to himself; "If it's not one thing, it's another. God, help me!"
This time he had to deal with a rebellion which was spearheaded by his own first cousin Korah, who had gathered support from Dathan, Abiram, and On:
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?Korah was upset because he and Aaron held equal ranks within the family of Levi; and, therefore, Korah thought he had the same rights to the office of high priest as did Aaron—how wrong he was!
(Num. 16:3)
Are you in a situation similar to Moses'? Does it seem as if everything that can go wrong is going wrong? How are you handling your problems?
Are you bravely enduring the torrents of life—confident that your heavenly Father is in control? Or, are you falling apart at the seams and losing your peace of mind as well as the victory over the situation?
Moses solved his problems by putting his confidence in God's wisdom for his situation—and you can too!
Seeking Wisdom Through Prayer
The Bible says when Moses heard what Korah had to say, Moses lay face down before the Lord and prayed (Num. 16:4-7).
One thing you can do to help solve life's problems is to pray and to seek God's wisdom for the situation.
Whether we are faced with the problem or causing the problem, you and I need to seek God's wisdom for every aspect of our lives—especially WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH OTHER PEOPLE!
Personal Prayer Brings Understanding
It's interesting to note that Moses prayed when he was faced with the problem of Korah's revelation. When Moses prayed, he got a clear understanding of the situation and conducted himself according to God's wisdom.
However, Korah, who actually had the problem did not pray. Korah did not have a clear understanding of the situation; and therefore, conducted himself according to his own human reasoning.
Today, many marriages are being needlessly pulled apart because the partners involved lack a clear understanding of God's chain of authority.
For example, if more wives would pray and seek God's wisdom concerning godly submission, I believe much of the friction within their homes would disappear! Unfortunately, most of the time women don't even want to hear anything about submission, let alone DO IT!
Like Korah, too many women live by human reasoning and consider themselves as qualified or more qualified than their husbands to head their families. Sometimes these "power plays" turn homes into battlefields.
Humanly speaking, maybe Korah was qualified to be the high priest; we know that Aaron was certainly not perfect. But when we seek God's wisdom in this situation, we see that qualifications were NOT the issue.
God had chosen Aaron for the position of high priest, just as He has chosen the man to be the leader within the home. Ladies, pray, and get God's wisdom on how you can complement your husband's position of authority, rather than compete with it.
On the other hand, men too should pray about how they can best lead and guide their family. Together, the two of you can experience God's wisdom to help you both become a problem solver in your home!
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